Toothbrush



Oct. 20, 1942.v A. c. CASTILLO TOOTHBRUSH Filed 0G13. 28. 1941 PatentedOct. 20, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOOTHBRUSH Alfonzo C.Castillo, Albuquerque, N. Mex. Application October 28, 1941, Serial No.416,872

1 Claim.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in tooth brushes,and more particularly to a tooth brush of the fountain type, the primaryobject of the invention being to provide a fountain tooth brush witheiective means for propelling tooth paste to the bristles of the brush.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a brush of thistype so constructed that same may be readily and quickly lled cr relledby engaging the end of a standard or ordinary `tube of tooth paste tothe end of this brush and squeezing the paste thereinto.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a brush ofthe type described which is sanitary and leakproof.

A still further object resides in providing a brush of the classdescribed Which is simple and durable in construction, inexpansive tomanufacture and one which will prove very efiicient and useful inoperation.

With these and other objects in View, my invention consists in the novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in thespecication and drawing.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application,

Figure l is an elevation of a brush constructed in accordance with myinvention, assembled and ready for sale or use;

Figure 2 is a vertical section therethrough with a tube of tooth pasteconnected with the one end thereof illustrating the lling or refillingof the same; and

Figure 3 is a Vertical section therethrough as seen on the line 3 3 ofFigure 2.'

In describing the invention, I shall refer to the drawing in whichsimilar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and in which I designates the head of a tooth brush towhich bristles 2 are connected or mounted in any desired manner. Theneck portion 3 of this brush is hollow and tapers out terminating in acylindrical body 4 which forms a cylindrical paste chamber or reservoir.The hollow portion of the neck at its outer end terminates in an opening5 in the upper face of the head I in the midst of the bristles 2, sothat the paste in the chamber may be fed readily t0 said bristles.

The cylindrical body 4 at its lowermost end is externally threaded asshown at 6, whereby the same may be engaged with the inner threaded wallI of the cylindrical base or supporting member 8. This cylindrical basemember 8 is formed with an inner central longitudinal tube 9 whichterminates in the lower end of the cylindrical member at which pointthere is an opening IU. This opening and the inner wall of the tube 9 isthreaded as shown at II, whereby a knurledheaded cap screw I2 may beengaged therewith to close the opening.

Mounted externally of the tube 9 adjacent its upper or outermost end isa hard rubber mediumly thick washer I3. This washer snugly nts the tubeand on each side of said rubber washer are the metal discs or washers I4and I 5 which are swaged, sweated or otherwise similarly rmly secured onsaid tube. An abutment I6 is formed externally of the tube 9 againstwhich the washer I4 may be seated. These washers I3, I4, and I5, mountedon the end of the tube 9, form substantially a piston and said washer I3is adapted to t snugly within the inner walls of the cylindrical chamber4 and operate t0 propel the paste in said chamber forwardly toward thebristles of the brush.

The cylindrical base member 8, which forms substantially a portion ofthe handle of the brush when the latter is in use, has its outer end eX-ternally threaded to engage the internally threaded end of a cylindricalcover I 'I, which may be applied when the brush is not in use.

When it is desired to ll or refill the brush, it is only necessary tounscrew and removethe cap screw I2 from the end of the base member 8,whereupon the threaded neck of the standard tube I8 of paste may beengaged with the thread- J ed opening I Il in the end of the member 8,as

shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. Thereupon the paste from the tube Imay be squeezed through the tube 9 and into the chamber 4 of my improvedbrush. When the brush is filled, the tube I8 may be disengaged and thecap screw I2 again applied. Then, when it is desired to propel the pasteforwardly in the chamber 4 toward the exit opening and the bristles, itis only necessary to turn the body 4 and as the same is drawn inwardlyinto the base member 8, the plunger or piston of the latter will forcethe paste upwardly or outwardly, as the case may be, t0- ward thebristles for use in brushing the teeth. When the brush is not in use,the cover I1 is, of course, applied, for sanitary purposes.

I have illustrated by lining a brush head and body therefor constructedof plastic material and, likewise, I have shown the cover I'I as beingformed of plastic material, while the base member has been shown asbeing made of metal. It

will be understood, of course, that all of the parts may be made ofmetal or all of them made of plastic, as desired, or some parts made ofmetal and some of plastic, as the particular material of which theelements are constructed does not form an essential part of theinvention.

From the foregoing description, the method of constructing and ofapplying to use my invention will be readily understood and it will beseen that I have provided a comparatively simple, inexpensive andeiicient means for carrying out the various objects of the invention.While I have particularly described the elements best adapted to performthe functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form,proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to,without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principlesof the invention.

What I claim is:

A tooth brush of the class described, comprising a head having bristles,a cylindrical hollow body connected with said head and forming amaterial reservoir having communication with said bristles and havingexternal threads, a cylindrical hollow base member internally threadedand having threaded engagement with the eXterior of the aforesaid body,a hollow stationary feeding tube extending from the end of said basemember to a point within the body to supply tooth cleansing material tothe latter, a removable closure for the one end of said tube, and meanscarried on the opposite end of said tube snugly fitting the inner wallsof said body adapted to propel the material therewithin toward thebristles as said body is rotated with respect to the base member.

ALFONZO C. CASTILLO.

